The companions set out on the road to Igodomi, where Kuublus residence was situated, the road was wide and relatively well maintained with regular traffic of farmers transporting goods and other travellers.

Patrols of four shield bearers were a relatively common sight as they made they're way along the road, stopping for the night at villages or caravan camps.

Travel was peaceful and little of danger happened, the third day the road cut through a patch of thick forest and they could see at the roadside fresh machete marks as the jungle was regularly cut back from the roads edge.

It was as they settled in for the night at a merchants camp on the roadside with the thick forest to their back that an old woman span a tale;

“Centuries ago, Kalama and his ninety sons were driven by evil sorcery from their homelands in the north, and a curse placed upon them that they wander the land until they could find a great city built of of wood which touched both the sky and the ground and ruled over by a queen whose halls ran with liquid gold. After years of journeying, Lord Karvala saw a man harvesting honey from an enormous Muyovu tree. He thanked the gods for the sign and built a citadel around the tree where he and his sons ruled and many came to visit the great forest kingdom. At the last Kalama surrounded his home with a high wall to keep out attackers and enemies. Here he dwelt with his sons, and the sons of his sons."

“From the east there came a new people, our people, with new laws and new gods. Kalama took himself to his citadel and shut himself within, saying that he must ponder how to punish these newcomers. But the Great Bull of that age asked his witches to bewitch Kalama so that he fell into a deep sleep and could not trouble the Empires people. And they set wards about his tower, and locks of sorcery upon its doors, and slew his followers so that none might free him. Then they ruled this land until this day."

“But Kalamas gods were enraged that the one they had chosen to rule should be thus set aside. They sent storm and plague and earthquake to trouble the citadel, until the mighty walls that Karvala had built fell at last, and the jungle and the Sasabonsam krept in. Still Kalama did not wake, and in honour of him it was decreed that none should dwell in his citadel till he comes again to choose those most worthy.”

"This citadel lies within this forest, but none who seek it ever return."

Kuublu searches his memory and has heard the name Kalama before, usually as an evil ogre or witch in nursery tales he heard as a child but he had no idea the name had roots in history...if indeed the old woman is not just spinning a tale.

The calm peace of the road scratched at Jaafan's brain during the traveling. There was no conflict here in this land of the empire, and without conflict one could not grow stronger. He was beginning to feel the itch of boredom.

When the old woman began to tell her story Jaafan listened intently, rubbing the cub behind its ears idly. In Jaafan's tribe, elders held the accumulated knowledge of their entire lives, with even seemingly insignificant memories holding the potential to effect the present time. Legends of ancient fortresses from which no explorer ever returned might seem hard to believe for some people, but Jaafan was certain the story was true. Perhaps even the old woman was the manifestation of a spirit come to guide them to the city of Kalama, though it would be as likely for good as for ill.

He stood, "We need only find the creatures which create the liquid gold." he said with a grin, "But first, wizened elder, could you tell us the story of the Sasabonsam?"

OOC - Is it safe to assume that over the course of our travels we've all been healed up? I'm still tracking a -7 from a Nandi bite.

The old woman looked at them, " It is here somewhere, but where I don't know. Perhaps look for the tallest tree or try and find the walls?"

" The Sassabonsam? Were your parents remiss? All children should know the danger. Sassabonsam that stands as tall as a man and has a mouth full of fanged teeth, a row of scaly ridges over its bloodshot eyes, and a small horn that protrudes from the top of its head. Its very long arms are like gigantic bat wings that have a twenty-foot wingspan, its torso is skeletally thin, its legs are permanently bent, and there are three toes on each of its feet. The sasabonsam’s body is covered with red fur or black and white spots, adding to its camouflage as it sits in the cottonwood tree, dangling its stringy legs below. When a person walks underneath and brushes against the legs, it snatches up the person, pulling him into the tree and biting off his head, then drinking up the blood. Sasabonsam can cause sickness in a person just by looking at him and are oftentimes used as a servant by the forest gods."

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